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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Lisa Smith" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <kmorrison1192@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2018 08:11:08 -0400
Subject: Re.. From Miss Lisa Smith Reply

Respect Sir
 
My purpose of contacting you is first, i want  to know more about  you so that i will know the areas you will be of assistance to my needs. I have some reasonable amount of moneys  which my parents left for me before their untimely death, i want  to plan  for my future by investing this  money in  a  good and  profitable business but I don’t know where to start and that is why I got interested in contacting you hoping that you will be kind a sincere to me by leading me through the right process to see that this money is not wasted because it is my only hope of planning for my future .
 
Though i don't know you in person but your assurance can motivate me to tell you everything about the money, i will not let him know i knew about it.
 
want to invest and to go into this investment with you by my side,I wish you could be  honest to me because i am afraid of choosing the wrong  business or loose this money, You will know me  more as we communicate along and I will also send my pictures as soon as i hear from you so that you will see who you are communicating with.
 
Thank you
Miss Lisa Smith

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